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Breast Cancer rate on the rise!!!
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Worldwide report indicates that Breast cancer is one of the diseases that is causing alarming mortalities with an estimate of over 2.3 million cases recorded globally in the year 2020 (WHO).
Research has shown that Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among women. Although men also get affected with the disease – it’s estimated that one per cent of cases recorded worldwide (WHO) were reported by males.
It has also been estimated that over 685,000 women died from Breast Cancer in the year 2020 (WHO). Additional statistical report has revealed that, at the end of the year 2020, there were 7.8 million women alive who were diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago.
While breast cancer rates are higher among women in more developed countries, they have lower mortality rates due to the fact that Breast Cancer cases are detected in the early stages and immediately holistic treatment is given with effective continuity of care even to the involvement of a psychologist (good support system) which is very much key.
However, in low and middle-income countries like Ghana, breast cancer mortality rates are significantly higher though the prevalence is lower as compared to the developed countries.
The reason for the soaring mortalities of breast cancer in sub-Saharan Africa specifically Ghana, is partly associated with people’s erroneous beliefs of the disease. Other significant factors such as cost of treatment, accessibility to screening machines, irregular education and publicity of the disease are issues which need to be addressed immediately.
Unfortunately, about 60-70 per cent patients seek for medical attention at the very late stage of the disease where little or nothing can be done for them. Sadly, this is one of the factors that is causing defeat in our quest to reduce deaths amongst breast cancer patients.
Narrowing the discourse to our immediate environment Ghana specifically, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, our main referral centre has the following statistics on Breast Cancer cases.
In the year 2018, 400 new cases were recorded. Out of that, 2.4 per cent were found to be males while the remaining 97.6 per cent were females. Also, out of 2,260 cumulative cases studied over five years, 1,021 people died from the disease.
Isn’t it sad that, just within five years, more than 1,000 souls perished because they probably failed to seek for medical attention at the early stage of their sickness?
Or possibly, they were not self-aware of what was happening to them?
Hitherto, the age group that was mostly affected was between 40 and 49 years.
Surprisingly the age bracket keeps reducing gradually with incidences occurring between 25 and 29 years due to adaptation of the western and sedentary lifestyle.
Breast Cancer as we all know has no known cause but there are risk factors that can precipitate it.
Sex: The fact that one is a female automatically puts you at risk of Breast Cancer because women have more breast tissue than men do, hence the increased risk of getting breast cancer.
Age: Usually women above 45 years are prone to Breast Cancer but now the age bracket is reducing. Now, there are records of Breast Cancer patients between the ages of 25 and 29 as a result of westernisation in terms of diet and sedentary lifestyle
Exposure to Estrogen Hormone: Early menarche (first occurrence of menstruation) latemenopause, nulliparity (when a woman has never given birth to a child, or has never carried a pregnancy) and giving birth after age 30.
All of the above situations cause increased exposure to estrogen hormone which can cause Breast Cancer.
Family History: When one’s aunt, mother, sister, grandmother has had Breast Cancer, it puts one at a risk of getting the disease. However, recent medical investigations posit that, it is when a first-degree family member gets the disease, that can put one at a risk.
Interestingly, it has also been discovered that when any primary male relative, has been diagnosed with even prostate cancer, it can put you at risk of getting Breast Cancer.
Hence, the need to be keen with regular screening, visiting women wellness clinics, and the need to conduct personalise routine breast examination, etc.
Also, increased fatty diet, obesity, alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise; these are but some of the known risk factors that can precipitate Breast Cancer.
Nonetheless, there are many ways to reduce the incidence of an individual getting breast cancer.
Keep your weight in check, by being physically active and undertaking regular exercises.
It’s also important to incorporate fruits and vegetables in your diet.
At risk persons should avoid the following: Alcohol (Zero is Best), forsake smoking, avoid birth control pills, particularly after age 35 or if you smoke. Almost every woman is at risk of getting Breast Cancer hence the need to adopt the best lifestyle as a preventative measure.
Breast feeding is also another sure way to reduce the risk of getting breast cancer as a woman. Hence women are encouraged to breastfeed their infants, especially working-class mothers. There is this notion that breast feeding is old fashioned. Sadly, some women now resort to formula feeding for their infants which they think is fashionable and trendy.
Now, let’s consider Breast Cancer myths. Myths are misbeliefs or false ideas, so breast cancer myths are false beliefs that people have concerning breast cancer. In our Ghanaian society, people have the mindset that breast cancer is a “cursed” disease. The unfortunate belief is that, a person may have offended the gods, hence the repercussion of their actions.
Again, there is a belief of witches “buying” the sickness in the spiritual realm to infect innocent people. Due to this notion, most people seek spiritual help than going for medical treatment.
Hence, 70 per cent of cases recorded at Korle-Bu report at very late stages due to social stigma of this disease leaving little or nothing to be done for the patient except palliative care.
Other myths concerning breast cancer are wearing a brassiere can cause Breast Cancer. The usage of underarm antiperspirant, carrying your cell phone in your brassiere and many others are sheerly make beliefs that are clearly untrue.
In light of these misconception and superstitious beliefs, Breast Cancer awareness creation remains one of the effective ways to educate and screen people against possible Breasts Cancer.
October is the month set aside worldwide for breast cancer awareness celebration termed Pink October. This pink month celebration is catching on well with Ghanaians. The good news is that, many organisations have sprung up the quest to fight this vile disease called Breast Cancer.
One of such is the Ladybits Health and Wellness Foundation which is determined to help build the “Quintessential Woman‚ in our contemporary Ghanaian society. The organisation reaches out to all women found in various endeavours especially the rural and less deprived areas where we educate them on breast cancer with effective screening and diagnosis of the disease.
Our aim is to empower women especially in deprived areas to be in charge of their health and take precautionary measures where necessary. In the end, I reiterate that Breast Cancer is very treatable especially when detected early.
Some aspects of the treatment of Breast Cancer is covered by NHIS. In addition, members of GNAT have access to free medical treatment of all cancer diseases including breast cancer.
Nevertheless, I look forward to a time where the government and for that matter NHIS will absorb the full treatment cost of Breast Cancer so that the screenings that we do in the rural areas will be more impactful and effective
By Dr. Victoria Partey-Newman
“A woman who abandons her baby in a dustbin at Kasoa Lorry Station is not always a wicked woman. Sometimes, she is a wounded woman whose mind has broken, whose family has rejected her, and whose society has left her with only one terrible option: disappear or be disgraced.”
That is the hard truth Ghana must hear.
In the last 10 days alone, our nation has been confronted with the same painful headline, twice.
Case 1 – Kasoa Main Lorry Station, Central Region: A newborn baby girl was found abandoned inside a dustbin at the public toilet of the Kasoa Main Station. A woman who went to use the facility discovered the infant and raised an alarm. Commercial drivers and bystanders quickly retrieved the baby and rushed her to the Kasoa Polyclinic for emergency medical care.
Case 2 – Asante Bekwai, Ashanti Region: On Thursday morning, August 20, 2026, a two-week-old neonate was reportedly abandoned by an unknown nursing mother at Bekwai in the Ashanti Region. Residents who came across the child raised the alarm. The baby was admitted to the Bekwai Government Hospital as police commenced investigations.
Let me be clear from the start: Newborn abandonment is wrong. It is dangerous. It is criminal. And it can kill. This article does not excuse it. But if we only arrest and shame, we will never stop it. We must treat the root, not just punish the fruit.
What exactly is newborn abandonment? – The two definitions
The Legal Definition: Under Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), Section 96, and the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), abandonment of a child under 12 years is a criminal offence. It is classified as exposure and abandonment, punishable as a misdemeanor or felony. The law sees the mother as a perpetrator.
The Psychological definition: In clinical textbooks, newborn abandonment is defined as the intentional, permanent relinquishment of all parental rights, care, and responsibilities over an infant within the first 28 days of life without making formal, legal arrangements for care.
To understand this crisis properly, we must not confuse it with child abandonment. Newborn abandonment happens within 0-28 days of life, often driven by acute panic, denial of pregnancy, or postpartum psychosis where the attachment bond never formed. Child abandonment, on the other hand, involves toddlers to teenagers where a bond existed but collapsed over time due to chronic poverty, family breakdown, or parental burnout. One is an acute crisis of the first month; the other is a chronic breakdown over years. Both are harmful, but they need different interventions.
Psychologically, newborn abandonment is the ultimate rupture of the primary attachment bond. Think of a 19-year-old university student who secretly gives birth alone in her hostel room, wraps the crying baby in a polythene bag, and drops it at a refuse dump at midnight. That is not just a crime scene; it is a scene of extreme panic and psychological dissociation.
Why would a mother carry a baby for 9 months and then abandon it?
This is the question every Ghanaian asks. If you wanted to abandon it, why not abort? The answer is deeply psychological:
1. The psychodynamics of denial of pregnancy: This is a profound defense mechanism, not a lie. The mother’s subconscious mind completely rejects the reality of the pregnancy. She does not gain weight normally, feels no kicks, does not seek antenatal care, and genuinely convinces herself she is not pregnant until sudden, shocking labour pains take her by surprise in a toilet or bedroom.
2. Fantasy of a dissolving problem: This is called cognitive avoidance. She believes “my boyfriend will come back,” “my mother will forgive me,” or “something miraculous will happen before birth.” So she waits, paralyzed, until the baby is here.
3. Barriers to safe abortion: Deep religious guilt, moral anxiety, fear of dying from a back-alley abortion, lack of money for a safe procedure, and family laws force her to carry to term even when she feels incapable.
4. The shock of reality and acute panic: Upon delivery, the physical presence and crying of the newborn shatters all denial. Confronted with immediate exposure, shame, and reality, her brain enters a trauma response — “fight, flight, or freeze.” For many, it becomes “flight” — physically escape the threat of exposure to survive socially. That is why babies are left in places where others will find them -lorry stations, churches, hospitals.
Source:
Counselor Prince Offei, CPAC’s founder, is a leading Mental Health Professional, Marriage Counsellor, Author, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, and Spectator Newspaper Columnist. He writes on relationships, marriage, parenting, special needs support, and their connection to mental health. For therapy, counselling, or enquiries, contact Counselor Prince & Associates Consult (CPAC) in Accra on 0559850604 / 0551428486.
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Features
Environmental stewardship is an act of worship: The Islamic response to climate change, environmental degradation (Part 4)
The environmental consequences of illegal mining have reached alarming levels in Ghana. Several major rivers, including the Pra, Ankobra, Offin, Birim and Tano, have experienced significant pollution from illegal mining activities, increasing the cost and complexity of water treatment while threatening the availability of potable water for millions of citizens (Water Resources Commission, 2024; Ghana Water Limited, 2024). These developments underscore the urgent need for stronger environmental governance and collective action.
Islam equally emphasises accountability in governance. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught that every leader is responsible for those under his or her authority (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7138; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1829). This principle extends to public officials entrusted with environmental regulation, traditional authorities responsible for communal lands, mining companies, local assemblies, and community leaders. Environmental protection cannot succeed
where accountability is absent.
At the same time, addressing galamsey requires more than law enforcement. Sustainable solutions must tackle the underlying socio-economic realities that drive individuals into illegal mining. Many young people are motivated by unemployment, poverty, and limited economic opportunities. Islamic principles of social justice therefore call for the creation of alternative livelihoods through sustainable agriculture, vocational training, responsible small-scale mining under strict environmental standards, entrepreneurship, and skills development. Environmental protection and economic empowerment should not be viewed as competing priorities but as complementary goals that promote human dignity and national development.
Faith communities also have an indispensable role to play. Mosques, churches, schools, traditional councils, and civil society organisations possess significant influence in shaping public attitudes and behaviours. Imams, in particular, should consistently remind congregations that wealth acquired through actions that destroy communities and Allah’s creation cannot be regarded as a blessing. Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Water conservation, waste management and sustainable development: Practical expressions of Islamic stewardship
Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Islam is not merely a religion that condemns environmental destruction; it also provides practical guidance for preserving and sustaining the natural world. Through its teachings on moderation, cleanliness, conservation, and responsible consumption, Islam cultivates an environmental ethic that remains remarkably relevant to contemporary challenges such as water scarcity, pollution, waste management, and climate change. These teachings encourage Muslims to become
responsible custodians of Allah’s creation in both private and public life.
Water conservation: A sacred responsibility
Water occupies a unique position in Islam as the source of life and an essential element of worship. Allah says, “And We made from water every living thing. Then will they not believe?” (Qur’an 21:30, Sahih International). This verse reminds believers that water is not merely an economic resource but a divine blessing upon which all living creatures depend. The importance of water is further reflected in Islamic acts of worship. Muslims perform ablution (wudu) before the five daily prayers and ritual bathing (ghusl) under prescribed circumstances.
Yet, despite its central role in purification, Islam strongly discourages wastefulness. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once advised one of his companions not to waste water while performing ablution, even when using water from a flowing river (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 425). This timeless guidance establishes the principle that abundance does not justify extravagance.
Conservation remains a religious obligation regardless of the apparent availability of natural resources.
This Prophetic teaching carries profound implications for contemporary Ghana. Illegal mining has severely polluted many rivers, increasing the cost of water treatment and limiting access to safe drinking water for numerous communities. Climate change has also intensified seasonal variability in rainfall, placing additional pressure on freshwater resources (IPCC, 2023). Against this
backdrop, conserving water is no longer simply an environmental preference—it is a moral imperative grounded in Islamic teaching.
Water conservation should therefore become a shared responsibility among households, educational institutions, industries, and places of worship. Simple practices such as repairing leaking pipes, harvesting rainwater, protecting riverbanks, avoiding contamination of water bodies, and promoting efficient irrigation contribute to safeguarding one of Allah’s greatest blessings. Every effort to preserve water is an investment in public health, food security, and the
wellbeing of future generations.
Unfortunately, indiscriminate disposal of refuse remains a significant challenge in many communities. Plastic waste clogs drainage systems, contributes to flooding during the rainy season, pollutes rivers and beaches, and threatens marine ecosystems. Open burning of waste further degrades air quality and poses serious health risks, particularly for children and the elderly (UNEP,2024).
The author is Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governnace Expert.
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